Decorative upholstery panel



Feb, 24, 1942-. c. E.. CARPENTER 2,273,833'

DECORATIVE UPHOLSTERY PANEL Filed Olst. 11, 1937 2 Shees- Sheet 2- "mr" l IW I.

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Patented Feb. 24, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE 2,273,833 DECORATIVE UPHOLSTERY PANEL Carroll E. Carpenter, Detroit, Mich., assignor to National Automotive Fibres, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware MApplication October 11, 1937, Serial No. 168,460

8 Claims.

embossing a design in both the panel and coverfabric or by sewing directly through both parts. This practice presented several difliculties, for if embossing occurred in the backing-pane1, heavy presses were required and clearly defined designs were diflicult to produce without damaging the cover-fabric. Sewing through the panel produced lines of weakening and if the work was done in automatic machines, ther lines of stitching were practically confined to straight parallel lines.

One of the purposes of the present invention is to provide aA complete panel which may be used on automobile doors or the like, wherein a design of any desired contour may be provided by a comparatively simple and quickly performed method without the use of heavy and expensive equipment.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred vembodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which: f f

Figure 1 is a plan view of the panel and press before the cover-fabric is applied; `Fig. 2 is a sectional view, somewhat diagrammatic, showing the various parts of the panel before hot-pressing; Fig. 3, an enlarged broken sectional view of a decorated portion of.one form of a panel design after pressing; Fig. 4, an end elevational view of a thermo-setting strip provided with risers; Fig. 5, a plan view of a decorativenupholstery panel; Fig. 6, a plan view of a panel-member` which vhas been covered with cotton padding and covered with a templet to permit the area to be decorated to be cleared of cotton padding and receive the thermosetting strip; Fig. 7, a diagrammatic sectional view showing how the templet covered panel may be brushed to remove the cotton from the area to be decorated; Fig. 8, a sectional view of `tlie'panel after the brushing operation, illustrated in Fig. '7; Fig. 9, a sectional view showing the panel after the` thermo-setting strip has been adhesively secured to the area of the panel which has been cleared of padding; and Fig. 10, a sectional view showing how the cover-fabric may be attached to the panel before the design is hot-pressed, if desired.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,

a press is shown diagrammatically, provided with a table or lower plate A which may be heated if desired. .The press is further provided with an upwardly movable plate B provided with a female die B' bearing any desired design which is to be rreproduced in the panel. Preferably the die is detachably secured to the upper plate B so that various designs can be embossed by means of one press.

like. Suitable mechanism is provided for applying ya moderate amount of pressure on the die. The upholstery pane1 has a backing-panel or` foundation board II which is usually made of waterproofed cardboard or the like. Those portions of the pane1 which are notto be decorated are shown covered with a layer 'of soft fibrous vmaterial such as cotton I2, and the area to be ,may be used or omitted, as desired, but when used produce a more pronounced embossed effect. They may be formed of twisted paper, twine, or other materials as desired. The thermosetting strip I3 is adhesively secured to the backing-panel I I before the pressing step.

As shown in Fig. 1, the table or plate A may be provided with positioning members .I5 to align the backing-panel in the press. The plate is shown provided with a pattern I6 'of the same shape as the cover-fabric I1 before it is attached'to the backing-panel. Thus, it will be understood that after the backing-panel has been properly positioned within the press, aligning the strip I3 ywith the die B', the cover-fabric I1 may be placed over the assembly'and in alignment with the pattern IB so as to properly register with the remainder of the assembly. The heated die is then lowered and pressed into contact with the cover-fabric so as to press it firmly around the risers I 4 and vulcanize the strip I3 permanently to the cover-fabric. The press may then be opened and the marginaledge portions of the cover-fabric I8 are turned under the backingpanel and secured thereto in the well known manner.

If desired, the marginal edge portions I8 may be secured to the backing-panel before the application of heat and pressure to produce the embossed design. If this is done, the pattern I6 is The die is heated by any suitable means` B2 such as steam, hot water, electricity or the New rubber 50 Reclaimed rubber 30 Sulphur 3 Accelerator...l 1

Material of this character has been used for inner tube patches in automobile tires for many years.

In preparing the cotton coated panel for the hot-pressing operation, the cotton padding may be adhesively secured to the desired areas not to be decorated but in manufacturing such panels on a production basis, it has been more satisfactory to spray the outer face of the panel with a suitable adhesive such as latex, Vapply the cotton, and then remove the cotton from the area which is to receive the rubber strip. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, this may be done by covering the cotton coated backing-panel with a templet I3 having cut-out portions 20 conforming in shape to the area to be decorated and positioned so that after the strip I3 has been applied it willv register with the die in the press. The panel is then. passed under a suitable rotary brush 2I which will brush away all of the cotton which is accessible through the opening 20. The templet is then removed from the panel, as shown in Fig. 8, and is ready to receive the rubber strip. The exposed areais next coated with a suitable adhesive and the `strip I3 permanently secured in position. The assembly shown in Fig. 9 may then be placed in the press and the cover-fabric I1 applied as explained above. As explained above, the marginal edge portions I8 may be adhesively secured to the backing-panel before the hot-pressing operation, if preferred.

While the opening in the templet is shown as rectangular, it will be understood that openings of any shape may be disposed anywhere on the panel so that a design of any shape may be produced.

In some cases it is found desirable to place a thin stripof uncured rubber of the same composition as the strip I3, over the risers I4 before the 'cover-fabric is applied and the heat treatment is given. This step enables the risers to be completely enclosed in rubber, and after hotpressing they will be vulcanized to the coverfabric.

In practicing the method for producing the decorative panel herein described, itis convenient for one operator to operate from ve to ten presses. He can pass from one press to the next in rotation and unload and.- reload one press while the panels in the other presses are given suflicient time for the heat and pressure to set the adhesive or vulcanlze the rubber strip.

The method is simple to perform and the final product although more attractive and producible in almost any desired design, competes favorably with the cost of panels decorated by sewing or embossing in any of the known processes. The final embossed design is permanent, practically unaffected by moisture or heat such as is ordinarily encountered in motor vehicles.

'I'he foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only. and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art. v

I claim':

1. A decorative upholstery panel comprising: a backing-panel; a strip of soft, cured rubber secured to said panel; a plurality of soft fibrous riser members disposed on said strip in an ornamental design; brous padding adhesively secured to said backing-panel adjacent to the strip-covered portion; and a cover-fabric vulcanized to the strip around said risers so as to afford an outwardly extending ridge design.

,2. The method of producing a decorative upholstery panel which comprises: adhesively securing to an area of a panel board a strip of uncured rubber provided with upwardly extending risers disposed in a desired design; placing a strip of uncured rubber over the risers; placing a cover-fabric over the assembly in registration with the backing-panel; and hot-pressing an embossed design in said cover-fabric by vulcanizing the fabric to said strip.

3. The method of making a decorative trim panel which comprises: positioning on a panel board a plurality of risers of predetermined outline and arrangement and a thermo-setting Vadhesive material at the sides of said risers of a type adapted on heating to :et without passing through a state of sufficient fluidity to penetrate a trim fabric; placing a trim fabric over said panel board overlying said risers and adhesive material; securing the edges of said trim fabric to the edges of said panel board; hot pressing said trim fabric over said risers into contact with said adhesive material in a manner to substantially tension said trim fabric; and maintaining heat and pressure for an interval suicient to effect a substantial cure of said adhesive material.

4. The method of making a decorative trim panel which comprises: positioning on a panel board a plurality of risers of predetermined outline and arrangement and a thermo-setting adhesive material at the sides of said risers of a type adapted on heating to set without passing through a state of sufficient liuidity to penetrate a trim fabric;l placing a trim fabric over said panel board overlying said risers and adhesive material; positioning a recessed hot die in registry with said risers; hot pressing said trim fabric with said die over said risers' into contact with said adhesive materal; and maintaining heat and pressure for an interval sufficient to effect a substantial cure of said adhesive material.

5. 'The method of making a decorative trim panel which comprises: positioning on a panel board a plurality of risers of predetermined outline and arrangement and a thermo-setting adhesive material at the sides of said risers of a type adapted on. heating to set without pass- I a,avs,sss

8. The method of making a decorative trim panel which comprises: securing to a panel board a thin sheet of uncured soft rubber. having a plurality of risers'of predetermined outline ami arrangement thereon; placing a trim fabric over said panel board overlying said rubber and risers; securing the edges of said trim fabric to the edges of said panel board; hot pressing said trim fabric over said risers into contact with said rubber in a manner to substantially tension said trim fabric; and maintaining heat and pressure for an interval sumcient to eifect a substantial cure of Asaid rubber and to bond said fabric vto said rubber.-

"l. The method of making a decorative trim panel which comprises: securing to a panel board a thin sheet of uncured soft rubber having a plurality of risers of predetermined outn in registry with said risers; hot pressing said trim fabric with said die over said risers into vcontact with said rubber: and maintaining heat and pressure for an interval sufiicient to e'ifect a substantial cure ,of 'said rubber and -to bond said fabric to said rubber.

8. The method of making a decorative trim panel which comprises; securing .to a panel board a thin sheet of. uncured soft rubber having a plurality of risers -of predetermined outline and arrangement thereon; placing a trim fabric over said panel board overlying said rubber and risers: DOsitioning s.- recessed hot die in registry with said risers; hot pressing said trim fabric with said die over said risers into contact with said rubber; and maintaining heat and pressure for an interval suflicient to effect a substantial cure oi said rubber and to bond said fabric to said rubber.

CARROLL E. CARPENTER. 

